ARIA Awards 2015: Winners, nominees and our picks | video, poll

Jessica Mauboy (c) arrives with Gang of Youths ahead of the ARIA Awards 2015 at The Star on November 26, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images for David Jones)

CENTRAL Coast songwriter Shane Nicholson took out Best Country album at the ARIAs on Thursday, making it six times unlucky for Newcastle’s Catherine Britt at the awards.

Britt is the only artist in ARIA history to be nominated in the Best Country album for every solo album she’s made, but she’s yet to win, with her rootsy Boneshaker album missing out to Nicholson’s Hell Breaks Loose.

Other ARIA winners included Tame Impala for Best Group, Conrad Sewell for Song of the Year (Start Again), Jarryd James for Best Pop Release (Do You Remember), Matt Okine for Best Comedy Album, CW Stoneking for Best Blues and Roots Album (Gon’ Boogaloo).

Courtney Barnett, nominated in eight categories won for Best Independent Release.

How we called it

Among the new faces and classic talent lining up for the ARIA Awards on Thursday are a handful of Newcastle and Central Coast artists who are in with a good chance.

Newcastle legend Daniel Johns has four nominations – Best Male Artist, Best Video (Aerial Love), Best Cover Art and Producer of the Year (for Preach).

Newcastle country music darling Catherine Britt is nominated for Best Country Album (Boneshaker). Always the bridesmaid at the ARIAs, she’s a short-priced bookies’ favourite after a tumultuous year that has included a battle with cancer and getting married.

In the Best Contemporary Album category, the album Tigersapp, made by Novocastrian Syzmon Borzestowski and released this year after Syzmon’s death, is a contender.

Syzmon’s brother Dom Borzestowski is a member of the band Gang of Youths, which is nominated in five categories, including Best Rock Album (The Positions), Breakthrough Artist, Best Australian Live Act, Best Artwork and Engineer of the Year.

Central Coast performer Shane Nicholson is nominated for Best Country Album (Hell Breaks Loose) and Best Video (Secondhand Man).

Central Coast producer Duncan Toombs is also nominated for Best Video for Spirit of the Anzacs by Lee Kernaghan.

Buddy Goode of the Central Coast is nominated for Best Comedy Album (Songs to Ruin Every Occasion).

The awards will be broadcast on the TEN Network from 7:30pm.

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Telstra Album Of The Year

Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit (Milk! Records/Remote Control)